Prelude
by kellsmarie
Summary: The job as a dancer at Victrola was another one of the tiny blemishes on her lifeline, but it had been the imperfection within the job that she still couldn’t let go. BlairChuck fic.


A/N: I tend to leave elaborate and pointless notes at the beginning of each new fiction I decide to test out, and this one is no different. I figured that I'd just explain just what I'm doing here because, yes, there is a method to my madness. At least, what I'm about to do with this one can definitely be classified as madness to some. I came up with the concept of this story long before I saw P.S. I Love You but that's what finally convinced me to go ahead and put it to paper. This is going to be deeper and darker than anything else I've written for Blair and Chuck, but I want to see their characters in another element. Basically, I'm transposing their characters as well as possible to a more involved situation than a love triangle. This will also contain book and show references to hopefully appease both halves, or those like myself who have read and watched. This is more of a filler for the time being, an introduction more than a first chapter. But without it, the rest of the story wouldn't make as much sense. I hope that I don't disappoint with this one.

_The fact of storytelling hints at a fundamental human unease, hints at human imperfection. Where there is perfection there is no story to tell.- Ben Okri_

The SUV was some dark color, blue or black or green or a combination of the above and he barely caught a glimpse of it as he rubbed his throbbing temple with the hand not cradling his cell phone. "It doesn't matter that she's bringing in customers left and right, she's still only 16," he growled impatiently into the handheld device. His eyes darted towards the streetlight above to find that the light was finally changing to green after nearly a full seven motionless minutes in the limo. "She's either out of _my _nightclub in the next five seconds or I'll send the NYPD in your direction just as soon as they catch this asshole in front of me."

He didn't hear the crunching sound of metal that can only be produced by car-on-car contact until he was flipping his Motorola closed. He felt his heart stop when he heard the ear-piercing scream fill the night air only a moment later. And when his eyes landed on the cold, hard, yellow metal door now lying in the middle of Times Square, he could no longer breathe.

/-/-/

_She holds her breath as she listens to the approaching footsteps on the other side of the door, signaling the fact that he has heard her timid knock. She bites her lip as she watches the brass knob turn and the door begin to open. "I'm sorry," she breathes into the oasis of silence around them, letting it push away all those words unsaid. And when he pulls her close and kisses her like he's never kissed anyone else before, she knows that this is where she belongs. _

Blair Waldorf groaned inwardly as she highlighted the last four typed pages on her iBook and pressed delete before she gave herself a chance to change her mind. Maybe it was because her first novel, _Slow Dancing_, hit the best seller's list after only two weeks. Maybe it was because she still wasn't used to the idea of writing no longer being a passion but a necessity. Or maybe it was because she was running on four hours of sleep and absolutely no caffeine. But no matter what she wrote, no matter how much it differed from the last 18 or so paragraphs she had written, she couldn't find a way to end her latest novel, _At the Seams_. It told the story of a couple who had found their marriage falling apart before their eyes. Unfortunately for them, it took many, many tragedies in their young lives before they were finally able to reconcile. Fortunately for Blair, critics and readers alike would eat the story up. That was, if she ever found a way to end it.

She blew a stray piece of hair off her forehead as she replaced the empty white screen with the words _I suck at this_ before reaching for the bottle of Perrier at her side and pressing the next button on her iPod, resting safely in its dock on the end table beside the couch, placed skillfully by herself in front of the large widow seat where she always chose to write. It was that feature of the apartment that had drawn her to it in the first place. It was the perfect apartment with the perfect window seat and the perfect view of Central Park. It was the perfect place to write, with the beautiful view of the city below and the constant flow of passersby to trigger any kind of inspiration. But after spending nearly 17 months submerged in the love life of Katharine and Richard Worthington, she could no longer find her muse.

Her concentration, or lack there of, was broken once again as the door to her perfect apartment swung open to reveal her perfect fiancée. Really, it would just be easier if Blair declared her life was perfect, but of course, she couldn't do that when she was too busy searching for the imperfections. When she looked around her apartment, she saw the way there were still visible drips from the key lime green color that filled the roomy sunlit living space. It had been her idea to paint the apartment themselves, but of course impromptu love making had caused the paint to run and then dry before the blemishes could be perfected. And her perfect novel still had no ending. But when she took into account her relationship with Nate Archibald, there were absolutely no imperfections that needed to be hidden away or stashed with the other skeletons in her really quite small closet.

She smile lazily up at him as she rested her chin in her hand, watching as he removed his jacket and his tie before making his way over to her and leaving a soft tender kiss on her ruby red lips. Tangling his hands in her hair, he laughed to himself as he read the only sentence on the screen in front of her. "Well, I'm glad to see that one of us had a semi-productive day."

She gave a sympathetic cluck with her tongue as she repositioned herself on the window seat to allow for him to sit beside her. She kissed him once more and let her hand on the nape of his neck as she spoke aloud for the first time since he had entered the apartment. "That bad, huh?" She knew that Nate's job was far from the bliss she had once attained from writing, but he was still doing what he wanted to do. His dream had always lied with architecture, and while the work was painstakingly meticulous, he was still on his way to finally opening his own company. That way, he could work from home and no longer spend 14-hour days in an office somewhere in the city where Blair wasn't.

He gave a small, almost despondent shrug of his shoulders as he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to his side. He closed his eyes as he leaned back against the cool glass of the window, and Blair could see just how tired he was. "I've had worse, but if you're about to tell me that everyone else cancelled for tonight, we're still going out." His eyes opened and a smile played on his lips as he turned to face her once again, motioning towards her iHome sitting on the end table. "But what about your day? At least I haven't resorted to dance remixes."

Blair stuck her tongue out at him in mock anger, but did nothing to change the song or turn off the music completely. "I guess I was so enthralled with what I was writing I didn't even notice…" She gave a frustrated sigh as she looked down to the street below. A tiny girl was chasing a pigeon as she and her mother waited for the walk sign to change. An elderly couple laughed together as they enjoyed a picnic lunch in the park. Katharine and Richard had no children and they were barely into their 30s. Neither of the couples below Blair's window would work from inspiration. She sighed aloud once more as she laid her head down on Nate's shoulder and closed her eyes. The lack of caffeine as of late was really starting to take its toll on her. "I don't know why I ever decided to do this for a living…"

Her laughter filled the small apartment as Nate circled his other arm around her waist and placed her in his lap, resting his forehead against her own as he leaned in to giver her another soft kiss. "But you love writing. At least you used to. When you wrote that screenplay for Yale, you were having the most fun you had had in a long time. And you told me that if you could enjoy something this much, why not make it a career?" He was right, it had been her idea to write a screenplay featuring an Audrey Hepburn-esque character on the campus of Yale. And while it had done the trick and gotten her into her dream school, she had turned down their offer and opted to start her career as a writer instead. With two trust funds, who really needed a career? It wasn't until after Nate's father had died that the couple had truly needed the money, after Nate's account was used by his mother, Anne Archibald, to pay for "necessities". They hadn't really had any contact with her since then.

Nate broke her train of thought as he nuzzled her neck with his lips, his words muffled. "I do miss your days as a stripper though, I must say."

Blair responded with a groan as she pushed him away and rolled her eyes, feigning irritation. "My job at Victrola was to pay the bills and it was burlesque, _not_ stripping. Little clothing was ever removed while in that night club." She moved on his lap to reposition herself so she was facing him, a knee placed on either side of his hips. "Besides, just because I'm no longer barring myself to the public nightly doesn't mean there's not any more private shows…"

She smiled against Nate's lips as he kissed her once again, moaning in favor of her offer. The days when she would be seen three times a week atop the stage in Chuck's now famous Victrola were still fresh in her memory. At first she had felt self-conscious and would take nearly an entire bottle of champagne to get her out there with the other girls. But slowly, she became a natural in the art of burlesque, that was, once she found her focal point. Few nights would pass when Nate wasn't found in the front of the audience, and as long as her eyes never strayed from his dewy emerald colored irises, she would be fine.

Blair removed her lips from his for just a minute as she pulled back to remove her own shirt. As soon as she had pulled away from his embrace, though, the room began to spin around her and her stomach did a back flip that was anything but pleasant. "Shit," she moaned to herself as she buried her face in his shoulder, waiting for this newest bout of nausea to pass.

His had smoothed her unruly brunette curls as she continued to take slow shallow breaths in an attempt to overcome this wave, and she could hear the sympathy laced through his words as he spoke. "You're still this sick all the time? Blair, sweetheart, maybe we should make another appointment, so we can be sure that everything's okay."

"Everything's fine," she quickly assured him as she raised her head slightly to meet his concerned gaze. Of course, she would never share with Nate what she truly thought of their new "situation." She was supposed to be the cool, calm, and collected one who absolutely melted at the idea of having a baby. But the baby was another imperfection. If they were to be married in three months like they had planned for two years, it would appear that they felt that marriage was a necessity now that she was pregnant. And she _wasn't _ecstatic, she was terrified.

Nate merely nodded as he repositioned her in his lap once again, letting her rest her head once again on his sturdy shoulder. "Well, if you're sure…"

"I am," she answered with the same assurance and stern gaze, and he could only laugh.

"Alright, well, it's been four months now. If you want to tell everyone tonight…"

Blair quickly shock her head in disagreement, standing up before he could push her further on the issue. "I like that it's just our little secret," she said with a small smile as she reached for his hand and pulled him up from the window seat as well. "Come on. If we go start to get ready now, I'm sure that we'll have plenty of time to do… other things… before we have to meet everyone else," she continued with a small wink of her left eye.

She let him lead her back into their bedroom and close the door behind them. And she didn't let herself think that soon this newest imperfection would be impossible to hide.

/-/-/

She squealed in excitement as she spotted the blonde across the room, barely visible through the crack in the two French doors. How long had it been since the two of them had been able to dish the dirt on their respected significant others, their careers, and the other members of their graduating class? Even if she was now almost 28 years old, Blair still couldn't resist the draw of gossip. And, as per usual, neither could her best friend.

But said best friend had quickly escaped New York and its lifestyle after her nuptials with her high school sweet heart. She was now Mrs. Serena Humphrey, and to Blair, she looked happier than she ever had before. The California sun had brought out the natural highlights in her hair and her tanned skin was a perfect golden brown. Had they not been in their own private room, all eyes would've been on the beautiful blonde that Blair couldn't wait to talk to. But even if she wasn't still a New Yorker, she still had her connections to the life of the elite, and she somehow snagged one of the only private dining rooms in the restaurant located in the Tribeca Star hotel.

She laced her fingers through Nate's as he led the way through the crowded dining area to the private room where the concierge had told them their friends were residing in. But as soon as he had opened the door, she pulled her hand away to envelope her old friend in a hug. Tears sprung to both girls eyes as they embraced for the first time in nearly a year. Serena had fallen in love with California and decided to only return for major holidays. Now, it was only a few weeks until Christmas, and with the whirlwind the wedding would bring, Serena was there to stay until after Blair and Nate tied the knot.

After exchanging pleasantries, the brunette pulled back, her eyes still sparkling with the same excitement. "How did you land this room for tonight?"

Serena laughed as she flipped her blonde hair back over her shoulder, motioning around the room as she spoke. "This was my Christmas present this year. I guess there is no such thing as "too big" for Bart, and he went from buying a suite to buying the hotel to buying the two VIP rooms here for Erik and I. He still thinks he can buy our love, even after all these years."

Blair rolled her eyes as she sat down on one of the velvet settees in the room. "God, he scares me. I wouldn't even try to feign love for the man who raised Chuck Bass." Neither of the girls mentioned the fling Blair had once had with the boy in question back in high school. She had eventually moved on and accepted Nate back into her life fully. She was sure Serena would still view it as a huge mistake. "So, where's Harper?" Blair finally questioned, breaking the uncomfortable silence. Harper was Serena and Dan's two year-old daughter, and Blair figured it would be easier to address the situation now. The last thing she wanted to talk about all night long was children.

"Spending quality time with Grandma. My mom offered to watch her so Dan and I could finally have an evening that doesn't involve Dora the Explorer and Happy Meals." The beautiful blonde suddenly sat up straighter with a thought, a wide smile gracing her lips. "We need champagne! God, B. You're getting married! We definitely need to be celebrating."

Blair bit her lip lightly as she waited for Nate to jump into their conversation and joyfully explain why she would be declining any alcoholic beverages that evening, but when she looked up, she realized that despite their immense differences, Dan and Nate were too busy conversing. "Actually, I'm not drinking tonight," Blair started out, her voice gathering volume and speed as she tried her hardest to lie to her best friend, "I'm working on my newest novel right now and it's impossible to write when you're hung over. You never know when inspiration's going to come your way."

Serena nodded her head slowly as she took in the information, still quizzically watching her best friend's odd behavior. "Alright… Well, there's got to be a waiter around her somewhere."

"Don't worry about it. I'll go get it from the bar." Before Serena could argue her, Blair was opening the French doors once again and slipping out into the restaurant. Talking about children and worrying about lying to Serena was more than Blair could handle at one time, and offering to go get drinks seemed like the easiest escape. She had been so excited only hours ago to see her friend, and she was already more than ready to leave.

She quickly ordered a bottle of champagne and a bottle of Perrier for herself and began to impatiently tap her fingers on the mahogany bar as she waited for her order to be filled. She had barely been there a minute when she smelled the familiar scent of cologne and the feeling of a man's warm breath on the nape of her neck as he whispered into her right ear. "Are you going to be walking to your car alone later tonight? Because I'm going to be watching you from over there." Blair only rolled her eyes at the other patron's attempt at humor, which had only come off as being threatening and sort of stalker material. She would never admit it aloud, but with Nate so far away in the "Serena Room," as Bart had so kindly named it, was almost as fearful as she had been when she would go out to places like this alone at night. _Almost. _

Spinning around, she placed her hands firmly on her hips ready to face down whoever the creep beside her was. "I'll have you know that I'm about to marry into a very prominent family, and if you have a problem with me walking away, which is exactly what about I'm about to do, I can have my fiancée come kick your…" Her voice trailed off as she finally laid her eyes on the perpetrator at hand, finding only familiar chocolate irises and raven hair. "Oh my god," she finally breathed in her state of pure awe, "Chuck."

Before he had a chance to respond to her she had wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and pulled him into a quick embrace. Nate was still leery of his old friend after their history together, so there were few times when she was given the opportunity to speak like this to Chuck. He had become his father as well, choosing to not settle down with one girl and sleeping through Manhattan instead. He was also quite the workaholic, making it hard for even Blair and Nate to make plans with their close friend. She finally pulled back to find him with that same cocky smirk he always wore, one that made her smile in return now. "What about Paris? And Chantal?"

Chuck waved her words away with a flourish of his hand as he rested his elbow on the surface of the bar. "Whoever said Paris was the city of love has never been there. If you ask me, it's a complete bore. Well, it was once Chantal decided to start fucking Aiden again instead of me. Besides, I already had an obligation to be the best man in Nathaniel's wedding."

"Well, we missed you." Blair responded as the bartender finally supplied her drinks. Chuck quickly took the bottle and champagne glasses from him before asking for another, as Blair continued to speak. "Serena and Dan have been here for a while. Why are you still out here?"

"My dear step sister has still yet to accept me, so I figured I'd watch for you and Nate out here. It's much safer that way." She could feel his eyes on her as she sipped from her glass, and it gave her chills. Even if she was now happily engaged with a (secret) baby on the way, Chuck Bass would still always be her first and she would never forget that. His voice was thicker and deeper than she remembered it when he spoke again, and for a second she thought that she saw a feeling of pure lust flash across his face. "You know, your job at my club is still open for the taking. You always drew in the biggest crowds."

She closed her eyes as she took another long drink from her glass, wishing she was drinking something much stronger than carbonated water. The job as a dancer at Victrola was another one of the time blemishes on her lifeline, but it had been the imperfection within the job that she still couldn't let go. On they nights when company meetings and business obligations kept Nate in the office, it had been Chuck who became the only person in the room. She was only dancing for him and, no matter how dirty or unfaithful she felt afterwards, there came a point when she began to long for the nights when Nate couldn't make it.

She finally composed herself as she looked back over at him, ignoring the desire to stay out here and not return to Serena and her perfect life where her daughter, her marriage, and her career weren't imperfections. But instead, she gave Chuck a sickly sweet smile. "You just want to see me naked again, and that's never going to happen."

She turned on her heels as soon as she had finished speaking, leaving the scene before a crime could be committed.

/-/-/

She made it a whole three and a half hours before the nausea returned in full force to the point where she thought that if she didn't get out of that extremely heated room, she was going to lose what little of her dinner she had eaten to Nate's shoes. Looking around the room, she realized that she wasn't the only one who was miserable. Chuck was barking at someone on the other end of his cell phone, and she could tell by his pacing that he wasn't angry, he was completely pissed. Lily had just called to ask a question about Harper, so Serena had left the room when she turned to Nate, her big brown eyes silently pleading with him before she even spoke in a whisper for his ears only. "I feel miserable right now. Can we just go?"

He nodded immediately, not moving to make it obvious that something was wrong. "Are you okay to wait for a cab?" She nodded meekly as he disappeared to ask the concierge to call a car for them before returning with her coat. Of course, Serena picked that exact minute to return.

"Where are you two going off to so fast? B, I thought we were going to go do karaoke at that new club in Times Square…"

"Blair's not feeling well," Nate quickly responded and Blair felt her stomach flip once again. She had gotten this far, and now her whole charade was coming crashing down. "She's been really pushing herself on this new novel and a good night's sleep is just what she needs. I had a long day too, so we should probably get going." Blair sighed to herself out of relief as she gently squeezed his hand in gratitude. She felt Chuck's hand on her arm as he came up beside them, speaking quickly and not hiding his frustration.

"I've got to cut out early too, sorry to disappoint. I didn't realize all the people I hired were so incompetent." Turning away from Serena to Blair and Nate he added, "My driver's waiting outside."

Blair shook her head, giving him a weak smile and trying her best to feign exhaustion instead of looking as nauseated as she felt. "I think we're okay. Thank you, Chuck." The three exchanged their goodbyes with each other and Serena and Dan, and Blair promised to call Serena first thing the next morning to make plans to spend the day together. By the time they had reached the cab, Blair was feeling much better after having left the cramped dining room, but she couldn't be happier to leave her envy for the carefree life of Chuck and the perfected lives of Dan and Serena behind. She slipped into the cab and let Nate wrap his arm around her to help ward off the cool air. Being out here, away from the world the Humphrey family had created together, restored Blair's faith in herself.

She sighed contentedly as she laid her head down on his shoulder and let him stroke her hair as they waited for traffic to begin moving again. "Going home early might not be such a bad thing," Nate finally said quietly as he gently nuzzled her earlobe. "It means I get to have you all to myself." She nodded, smiling softly in his direction before meeting his lips in a passionate yet sweet kiss. When she finally pulled back he spoke again, and she could see the excitement dancing in his eyes. "You know, that's going to be us soon. Having to savor our time away from our baby when we can get alone. But I'm going to love it." Blair sighed again her face falling, and Nate frowned in return. "Why do you never want to talk about this baby, Blair?"

Blair never got to answer. She would realize later that Nate must've seen the headlights of the other car as it ran its fourth red light that night, but in the moment she had no idea what was happening. She could only feel Nate shoving her roughly to the floor of the cab before bracing himself above her, for what she didn't know. That was when she heard the loudest sound she had ever heard in her life followed by the sound of tearing metal and suddenly the city was spinning around her.

When it finally stopped, a blinding pain flooded through her body. She could smell blood, but not knowing whether it was her own or not scared her more than anything else. She heard a scream of terror fill the quiet night sky, and it scared her more when she realized that the sound had come from her own mouth. She could no longer feel the weight of Nate's body on top of her, but when she opened her mouth to cry out for him, she couldn't make a sound. She wanted him there. She wanted someone to tell her she was going to be okay. She wanted the pain to go away. She just wanted it all to go away.

And then it did as everything went black.


End file.
